The Naturalists' Notebook

23 members joined the MNA Coach Trip over to Old Moor RSPB Reserve in the Dearne Valley near Barnsley in North Yorkshire. We were slightly later in the year than our last visit in September 2011 but despite missing the passage Waders the sheer volume of Ducks and some fantastic views of Raptors led to an enjoyable day.

After a quick nose at the feeders beside the visitor centre – Robin, Blue and Great Tit, Chaffinch and later Willow Tit and Great-spotted Woodpecker seen by some, a large group of members headed to Bittern Hide overlooking the Mere for lunch. A Little Egret was seen stalking around and flying out at the back – later John Clegg & co viewed a Little Egret with a red darvic ring –too distant to read the number and also a Kingfisher. A pale looking Peregrine was being harassed by a couple of Carrion Crows. Ducks included Teal, Wigeon, Shoveler, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Coot with Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, eighteen Cormorant standing on an island and Black-headed and Lesser Black Backed Gulls. Better views of the Wildfowl was seen around at the Family Hide along with four Pochard and a pair of Little Grebe diving close in, plenty of Moorhens stalking around the islands, a Mute Swan and cygnet, a Grey Heron and a female Marsh Harrier gliding at the back of the reeds being chased on and off by half a dozen Magpies. A few passerines with small flocks of Goldfinch, Linnet, Starlings and the odd Reed Bunting. A Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus was sat on the grass just outside the hide meticulously cleaning its long ears and paws.

At the nearby Field Pool West Hide I’d only just sat down when a couple of Magpies flushed a Snipe which circled around eventually landing out of sight in a ditch. The sixty or so Wigeon standing on the edge of the channel then quickly took to the water ‘whistling’ as the pale coloured Peregrine put in another appearance circling above their heads then gliding over the field at times unusually almost stopping mid-flight and doing a quick hover like a Kestrel before gliding off again. I wandered along the Green Lane Trail adding Blackbird, Long-tailed Tit, Dunnock and Woodpigeon to my day’s tally. At Wader Scrape Hide a real Kestrel was showing much interest around island five at the north-east end of the Mere sitting on the island sign then dropping down on the coarse island vegetation before flying up and hovering. It didn’t catch any unsuspecting Vole though as it too flew off after being harassed by the ever present Magpies.

At Wrath Ings Hide I was counting yet more Wigeon, Shoveler and Gadwall when a flock of thirty or so Golden Plover flew over, they circled a few times but didn’t land. They were soon followed by sixty Lapwing that broke off into two smaller groups and had only just put their feet to the ground when they were back in the air – the pale coloured Peregrine gliding by again!

Brown Rollrim

Only a couple of Fungi species were noted with eight Brown Rollrim Paxillus involutus growing on a patch of short grass close to the Mere and King Alfred’s Cakes Daldinia concentrica growing on the base of one of the wildlife themed wood carvings that were scattered around the reserve and had begun to decay.

Willow Galls

A number of Gall species with Red Galls on Crack Willow Salix fragilis leaves caused by the Sawfly Pontania proxima and a number of Robin’s Pincushion Galls a.k.a. Bedeguar Gall caused by a Gall Wasp Diplolepis rosae which lays its eggs in either the leaves or stem of the Dog Rose. They were unfortunately past their best unlike a fine example we saw on the MNA walk around Wiggs Island NR in September. However, one of the Galls did have the added bonus of a Hairy Shieldbug  a.k.a. Sloe Bug Dolycoris baccarum sat on it.

Robin’s Pincushion Gall with Sloe Bug

Robin’s Pincushion Gall at Wigg Island NR

ChrisB pointed out some Galls on the Sloe Prunus spinosa bushes called ‘pocket plums’ caused by the fungus Taphrina pruni that results in an elongated and flattened gall, devoid of a stone. The leaves of the Sloes were rolled up tightly perpendicular to their mid-rib caused by the Leaf-curling Plum Aphid Brachycaudus helichrysi.

Pocket Plums

Dull overcast cold conditions kept the Insects at bay but there were numerous Alder Leaf Beetles Agelastica alni making short work munching through the leaves and when the sun put in a brief appearance when we were about to depart a Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta was patrolling a trail.

Autumn fruits and berries covered the hedgerows and trees with Bramble Rubus fruticosus, Japanese Rose Rosa rugosa, Dog-rose Rosa canina, Blackthorn a.k.a. Sloe Prunus spinosa, Sea-buckthorn Hippophae rhamnoides and Guelder-rose Viburnum opulus. Very few plants were still in flower with Michaelmas-daisy Aster sp. Water Mint Mentha aquatica Ribbed Melilot Melilotus officinalis and Hedge Bindweed Calystegia sepium. Pat Lockwood pointed out an invasive species of Pigmyweed Crassula sp. that seemed to be taken firm hold in a lot of the water channels and one pond was covered in White Water Lily pads Nymphaea odorata.

I think I may have to put in a submission to the British Birds Rarities Committee  – I came across this magnificent Owl in the children’s adventure playground 🙂 After resisting the urge to buy more books in the Reserve shop I headed out where a Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta was flitting around the masses of Ivy Hedera helix that completely covered the gable end of the stone centre. ChrisB had found some Grapes growing in a small Herb Garden – a few of the vine leaves giving wonderful Autumn colours.

Vine Leaf

As a finale John Clegg shouted out ‘Red Deer herd!’ standing in a nearby field when we had just re-joined the M6 for our return journey.

If you are interested in the wildlife of the north-west of England and would like to join the walks and coach trips run by the Merseyside Naturalists’ Association, see the main MNA website for details of our programme and how to join us.

A wide photographic selection of birds, marine life, insects, mammals, orchids & wildflowers, fungi, tribal people, travel, ethnography, fossils, hominids, rocks & minerals etc. is available on my Alamy webpage

Ken Lewis says: I have just got back from North Berwick.  I had a day on Bass Rock and the Scottish Sea Bird Centre. Did a chumming on the return to Dunbar. It was very special and I would like share my images with our members.

Tony Carter reports: A cool day for the North West Fungus Group foray. Although conditions were dry there were still plenty of fungi to be found. This is a very new piece of woodland, planted on the site of the old colliery and the ground is more acidic than other local sites, so it was interesting to discover what species it might support.

Starting in the car park we found a large patch of Lactarius pubescens (Bearded Milkcap). This species was growing just about everywhere a pine tree grew. Further along the path we came across a close but more colourful relative, Lactarius torminosus (Wooly Milkcap) that prefers birch woodland. This was quickly followed by another pine lover, Lactrius deliciosus (Saffron Milkcap).

The boletes were also well represented by Suillus luteus (Slippery Jack), Suillus grevillei (Larch Bolete) and an uncommon Suillus viscidus (Sticky Bolete).

Suillus grevillei (Larch Bolete)

We identified a lot of the more common fungi such as Amanita muscaria (Fly Agaric)and rubescens (Blusher), Lactarius turpis (Ugly Milkcap) and glyciosmus (Coconut Milkcap)and quickly had recorded over fifty species including a number of grassland fungi such as waxcaps and puffballs such as a very large Lycoperdon excipuliforme (Pestle Puffball). Also a lone Helvella lacunosa (Elfin Saddle).

 
Lycoperdon excipuliforme (Pestle Puffball)

 
Helvella lacunosa (Elfin Saddle)

The most interesting finds were of Cortinarius, a difficult genus to identify even with a microscope. Fortunately these had very clear distinguishing features, Cortinarius trivialis (Girdled Webcap) and Cortinarius alboviolaceus (Pearly Webcap).

 
Cortinarius trivialis (Girdled Webcap)

 
Cortinarius alboviolaceus (Pearly Webcap).

Also found were Tricholoma terreum (Grey Knight), Tricholoma fulvum (Birch Knight) and a very uncommon Tricholoma psammopus (Larch Knight) that has not previously been recorded locally.

Tricholoma fulvum (Birch Knight)

 
Tricholoma psammopus (Larch Knight)

Considering that this land was only reclaimed in the late 1990s, we were surprised by the diversity and numbers of fungi that could be found. If we had been able to visit a week earlier, before it got so dry, we would have found even more.

A group of MNA members caught the X1 bus from Liverpool One bound for Runcorn. After quick photos of a mural on the side of a building close the bus station depicting Runcorn’s ‘Heroes & Industry’ and the adjacent urban garden we wandered through the back streets heading towards Wigg Island Nature Reserve managed by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust. We noted Hart’s-tongue Phyllitis scolopendrium with lines of sporangia on the underside of the frond were growing from a brick building and House Martins were nesting in the eaves of some modern terrace houses and. A few Blue Tits, Robin, Blackbird and a charm of Goldfinches were in nearby trees. We crossed the Old Quay swing bridge onto the island disturbing roosting feral pigeons, more of which were bathing in the River Mersey. Swallows were zipping after insects above the surface of the water remaining in a narrow tidal channel, two engaged in some amazing tandem twists and manoeuvres that the Red Arrows would have been proud of. On the canal were a few Coot and a Great Crested Grebe moulting into Winter plumage and along the canal bank was a large clump of Scentless Mayweed Tripleurospermum inodorum. A few Shaggy Ink Caps Coprinus comatus were growing in the grass beside the Visitor Centre – one of which was a fresh specimen, the others having matured dissolving into black ink.

A few plants beside the visitor centre were still in flower Scarlet Pimpernel Anagallis arvensis, Dove’s-foot Crane’s-bill Geranium molle and Tansy Tanacetum vulgare. We waited for the rest of the MNA and Liverpool RSPB group member to arrive before setting out. Plenty of Black-headed Gulls and a lone Great Black Backed Gull out on the exposed mudflats in the River with a few Lesser Black Backed Gulls overhead. From the viewing screen we also noted Shelduck, Redshank, Grey Heron and passing Cormorants.

Oak Knopper Galls

Common Spangle Galls

A selection of Galls caused by Gall Wasps were noted on Pedunculate Oak Quercus robur with Knopper Gall Andricus quercuscalicis, Marble Gall Andricus kollari and Common Spangle Gall Neuroterus quercusbaccarum. The latter was also seen on the leaves of a young Red Oak Quercus rubra. Autumn was clearly upon us with a selection of fruiting shrubs and trees including Bramble Rubus fruticosus agg. Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, Elder Sambucus nigra and Guelder-rose Viburnum opulus. At the canal were a few Coot, Mallards and a pair of un-ringed Mute Swans with three of this year’s cygnets. Ron Crosby had earlier caught sight of a Kingfisher as had John Clegg on his recce during the week. I noted that a number of Poplar Tree Populus sp. leaves were covered in a Rust Fungus later identified as Melampsora medusa.

Rust Fungi  Melampsora medusa

We wandered along the path overlooking the construction site for the new River crossing. A few Hoverflies were taking advantage of few Dandelion Taraxacum officianalis agg. and Common Ragwort Senecio jacobaea still in flower including Dronefly Eritalis tenax, Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax, The Footballer Heliophilus pendulus, Syrphus ribesii and a male Long Hoverfly Sphaerophoria scripta. We stopped for lunch at the picnic tables beside a small pond where a couple of Migrant Hawkers Aeshna mixta were patrolling. Out on the marsh a Buzzard was sat on a post. A pair of Mute Swans circled overhead a couple of times before landing only to be sent on their way by the resident pair with cygnets. Further along a tall viewing hide overlooking a small pond allowed views of Teal and a Little Grebe. Another Buzzard circled in the air harassed by a couple of Carrion Crows

Perennial Sow-thistle Galls

Close by I noted Galls on the leaves of Perennial Sow-thistle Sonchus arvensis caused by the Midge Cystophora sonchi.

Leaf Mines On Hazel

Nibbled Hazelnuts

We continued through a wooded area where there were Leaf Mines on Hazel Corylus avellana leaves caused by the Nut Leaf Blister Moth Phyllonorycter coryli, plenty of Hazel Nuts that had been nibbled by Grey Squirrels Sciurus carolinensis and a few Common Earthballs Scleroderma citrinum. Out into a meadow area there were a few young Dog Rose Rosa canina shrubs one of which had a Bedugar a.k.a. Robin’s Pincushion Gall caused by the Gall Wasp Diplolepis rosae.

Robin’s Pincushion Gall

Fox Carving

We passed a couple of wood carvings – one of a Red Fox the other a Rabbit before entering the Troll Wood where there were a few fungi sculptures designed by artists Mike Green and Angela Sidwell, a mosaic Wild Boar and some wooden Trolls one of which had a Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes perched on it.

If you are interested in the wildlife of the north-west of England and would like to join the walks and coach trips run by the Merseyside Naturalists’ Association, see the main MNA website for details of our programme and how to join us.

A wide photographic selection of birds, marine life, insects, mammals, orchids & wildflowers, fungi, tribal people, travel, ethnography, fossils, hominids, rocks & minerals etc. is available on my Alamy webpage

Tony Carter reports:  Members of North West Fungus Group and MNA joined together at the Warden’s Office to look for fungi at Ainsdale Sand Dunes Reserve.  Ground conditions were drier than expected and some areas were not as productive as in past years.  The area around the pond was fruitful. It used to be a struggle to get access to this area but the boardwalk takes you right round the pond. Lots of recognisable species such as Amanita muscaria (Fly Agaric) and Leccinum scabrum (Brown Birch Bolete) were found. Russula velenovskyi (Coral Brittlegill) was common under the alders.

Russula velenovskyi (Coral Brittlegill)

A nice find of Cortinarius uliginosus (Marsh Webcap) was made in an adjacent ditch.

Cortinarius uliginosus (Marsh Webcap)

There was very little in the paddock area which has deteriorated since it was flooded. Once a rich source of species, it is now very overgrown as is the wood leading to Pinfold Path, so little time was spent there. After a pleasant lunch in the sunshine on the dune grassland, we continued our search and made some interesting finds. The first was of an uncommon bolete, Suillus collinitus. It is very similar to a more common species (Weeping Bolete) but has a pink rooting system that colours the stem. This was quickly followed by Amanita citrina (False Death Cap) and Amanita submembranacea.

Amanita citrina (False Death Cap)

Amanita submembranacea

There was lots of a very small puffball. Usually we find fresh specimens but need spores to identify it. Or we find sporulating specimens but do not know what a fresh one looks like. This time we found both and were able to identify them as Bovista limosa (Least Puffball). This species is very specific to the south Lancashire coast.

Bovista limosa (Least Puffball)

Similarly, Lycoperdon nigrescensalso appeared both fresh and with spores. Chroogomphus rutilus (Copper Spike) appeared under a lone pine tree as did a dune lover, Lepiota erminea.

Lycoperdon nigrescens

We had to miss out the meadow area as it had not been mown so we went back into the pinewoods and made collections of Russula sanguinaria (Bloody Brittlegill) and Russula xerampelina. They can look identical with red caps and stems but the latter smells strongly of crabs, hence the name, Crab Brittlegill.

 
Russula sanguinaria (Bloody Brittlegill)

The final stretch took us into the mixed birch and oak areas where we came across Chalciporus piperatis (Peppery Bolete) and Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca (False Chanterelle).

Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca (False Chanterelle)

Despite the conditions, the joint effort succeeded in identifying seventy species. New for the site were Clavulinopsis laeticolor (Handsome Club), the ascomycete Eutypella scoparia, andthe corticiod Peniophora rufomarginata. These bring the total number of different species recorded by North West Fungus Group for this unique reserve to 941, which is why it was the favourite site of Ken Jordan. It rarely disappoints.

A glorious hot sunny day for the Freshfield Dune Heath Bioblitz celebrating 10 years of the Reserve’s existence. They were still setting up the stalls when I arrived so I joined Lancashire Wildlife Trust volunteer Sue for a bit of pond-dipping in the only pond on-site that hadn’t completely evaporated. After a few sweeps of the net tipped into the water-filled sampling trays we had a handful of species. There were a couple of Common Backswimmer’s a.k.a. Water Boatmen Notonecta glauca – as their name suggests they swim upside-down on the surface of the water and are voracious predators, they inject their prey with a toxic saliva and slurp up their digested remains! One of the Backswimmers flipped itself over onto its front – being light brown in colour with large red eyes. There was a couple of large and 40+ smaller Ramshorn Snails Planorbarius sp.which have sinistral or left-coiling shells. There were a few Damselfly nymphs – greenish in colour with a narrow body and 3 fin-like gills at the end of the abdomen, they capture prey by using a modified lower lip (called a labium) that shoots out rapidly and seizes the prey item. Also noted were a Biting Midge larvae and a small Leech.

Common Backswimmer

I had a mooch around the stalls, a number of organizations were present including the Merseyside Bat Group, Merseyside Mammal Group and the Southport and Formby Bee Keepers. There was also a stall where the kids could make plasticine Mrs Blobster.

I then joined MNA member Jean Lund who was leading the Fungus walk. Dry conditions limited the number of species we found with Sycamore Tar Spot Rhytisma acerinum, Violet Bramble Rust Phragmidium violaceum, Birch Polypore Piptoporus betulinus, Fly Agaric Amanita muscaria, Blusher Amanita rubescens, Penny Bun Boletus edulis, Brown Birch Bolete Leccinum scabrum, Common Earthball Scleroderma citrinum, Ochre Brittlegill Russula ochroleuca, Bloody Brittlegill Russula sanguinea and Birch Woodwart Hypoxylon multiforme. Numerous Gall Wasps had been causing deformities on the reserve’s Oak’s Quercus sp. with Knopper Galls Andricus quercuscalicis, Marble Galls Andricus kollari, Artichoke Galls Andricus fecundator, Common Spangle Galls Neuroterus quercusbaccarum and Silk Button Galls Neuroterus numismalis.

Oak Marble Gall

Silk Button Galls

There was also a Knotting Gall on Male-fern Dryopteris filix-mas fronds caused by the Dipteron Gall Fly Chirosia betuleti and leaf mines on Holly Ilex aquifolium caused by the Fly Phytomyza ilicis.

Gorse Shieldbug

Gorse Shieldbugs Piezodorus lituratus were present in great numbers on the Gorse Ulex europaeus with at least 60+ individuals and a final instar nymph. One of the Shieldbugs hadn’t been so lucky having been being caught and wrapped in silk in one of the many Garden Spider Araneus diadematus webs. Also plenty of Labyrinth Spider Agelena labyrinthica webs scattered throughout the gorse. I had a further mooch around between walks and noted Common Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina a couple of final instar nymphs, a dozen Tapered Droneflies Eristalis pertinax with single Hoverflies Heliophilus pendulus, Syrphus ribesii and a single Bumblebee mimic Hoverfly Criorhina berberina, a Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris, 7-spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata, a dozen or so Field Grasshoppers Chorthippus brunneus and a Spiny Puffball Lycoperdon echinatum.

Spiny Puffball

There were a handful of Common Darters Sympetrum striolatum zipping around and perching on the gorse.

Common Darter

On recording my sightings at the Merseyside Biobank stall there were a few sampling pots with other Bioblitzers finds including a Froghopper Cicadella viridis and another probably a Common Froghopper Philaenus spumarius which is an incredibly variable species with different colour forms.

A large group then set out with Phil Smith who talked about the reserve management the majority of which is low nutrient, acidic soil dominated by Heather Calluna vulgaris, Sand Sedge Carex arenaria and Gorse Ulex europaeus. Annual summer grazing takes place Herdwick sheep to prevent invasion by scrub plants. One area had been burned and the various stages of Heather re-colonization were apparent. A couple of Bioblitzers had seen a Ruddy Darter Sympetrum sanguineum so we headed off to the dried up pond. Phil caught the Ruddy Darter and held it between thumb and finger to allow for identification difference c.f. Common Darter to be seen, the former having all black legs and a more vivid red svelte – pinched waist abdomen.

Ruddy Darter male

As six Buzzards circled overhead we investigated a sandy area were we found a male and female Mottled Grasshopper Myrmeleotettix maculatus that have a variety of colour forms and a few Field Grasshoppers Chorthippus brunneus.

Dave Hardaker talked about the two Lizard species found on the Dune Heath – the Common Lizard and Sand Lizard. The latter naturally occurs in Dorset, Surrey and the Sefton coast – ‘our’ Sand Lizards having a more vivid green mottled appearance in the males than their more drab Southern cousins. There are estimated to be between 1000 and 1500 Sand Lizards on the Sefton Coast. The Sand Lizard is Britain’s only egg laying lizard – the eggs resembling mint imperials and it needs areas of open sand for incubating its eggs and their colonies are often found in banks and slopes so correct habitat management is essential for this species. Although present on the Sefton Coast the Sand Lizards were absent from the Dune Heath despite a large population of Common Lizards being present. Work was carried out in a fenced-off area to provide a re-introduction site for Sand Lizards captively bred from Merseyside stock by Amphibian and Reptile Conservation and in September 2010 hatchling lizards were released allowing them to be accustomed to their new home before the October hibernation. Dave had seen a mature male Lizard only the previous week so was confident that there is now a breeding population on site. Unfortunately we didn’t see any Lizards today although they love to bask out on the birch logs it was actually still too hot for them and would more likely to be seen later on in the early evening.

If you are interested in the wildlife of the north-west of England and would like to join the walks and coach trips run by the Merseyside Naturalists’ Association, see the main MNA website for details of our programme and how to join us.

A wide photographic selection of birds, marine life, insects, mammals, orchids & wildflowers, fungi, tribal people, travel, ethnography, fossils, hominids, rocks & minerals etc. is available on my Alamy webpage